What is Focus Ultrasound

What is focus in ultrasound?
How Does Focused Ultrasound Work? Similar to how a magnifying glass can focus beams of light on a single point, focused ultrasound uses an acoustic lens to concentrate multiple sound waves on a point in the body. Your providers use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to guide the waves and target diseased tissue.
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Focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2016. Medicare approved the treatment in all US states as of July 12, 2020.The 

​FDA approved staged bilateral treatment for essential tremor on December 20, 2022. Treatments are approved for the second side at least 9 months after the initial treatment.

Focused ultrasound is the marriage of two innovative technologies:
·         focused ultrasound—which provides the energy to treat tissue deep in the body precisely and noninvasively, and
·         magnetic resonance or ultrasound imaging—which is used to identify and target the tissue to be treated, guide and control the treatment in real time, and confirm the effectiveness of the treatment. ​

The fundamental principle is similar to using a magnifying glass to focus sunlight into a single point, burning a hole in a leaf. With focused ultrasound, an acoustic lens concentrates multiple intersecting ultrasound beams on a deep target in the body with high precision and accuracy. Depending on the lens design and ultrasound settings, the target can be as small as 1×1.5mm or as large as 10×16mm.


As each beam passes through the tissue, it has no effect. However, at the focal point, the convergence of the ultrasound beams produces significant biological effects, enabling the treatment of various medical disorders.


During planning and treatment for essential tremor, the patient remains fully conscious and lies on a treatment bed inside an MRI scanner. MRI offers high-resolution imaging, patient-specific treatment planning, and continuous monitoring. Real-time thermal feedback allows the physician to control and adjust the treatment, ensuring the targeted tissue is fully ablated without damaging neighboring healthy tissue.


Focused ultrasound treatments can be done on an outpatient basis, require no incisions, and generally involve minimal discomfort and few complications, leading to a quick recovery.
Reimbursement News: Focused Ultrasound for Essential Tremor Now Covered by Humana
  • Humana is the fifth national payor in the US to cover focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor (ET).
  • This decision means that 9 million more people in the US will have access to focused ultrasound for ET.
  • Cigna, Anthem, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Medicare have also granted positive coverage decisions nationwide.
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Treatment Centers for Focus Ultrasound 

Advantages
  • It is a noninvasive, single treatment that enables patients to recover rapidly and quickly return to activities of normal life (usually the next day).
  • Compared to RF ablation or DBS, focused ultrasound offers a reduced risk of infection, of damage to the non-targeted area, and of blood clot formation.
  • Focused ultrasound offers rapid resolution of symptoms.
  • In contrast to lesioning performed with stereotactic radiosurgery, focused ultrasound does not use ionizing radiation, thus avoiding the side effects of exposure to radiation.
  • Because it is non-invasive, focused ultrasound could be an option for medically refractory ET patients (those who do not respond well to medication) who do not want to undergo surgery.
Diann Shaddox Foundation for Essential Tremor